Sullivan, Kingsport teachers chosen for Tennessee Educator Fellowship

Staff Report
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May 9, 2019 at 10:00 PM

NASHVILLE — A Rock Springs Elementary School teacher and Robinson Middle teacher are among 31 educators who have been selected for the 2019-20 class of the Tennessee Educator Fellowship. They were chosen through a competitive admissions process, the State Collaborative on Reforming Education (SCORE) announced this week.

One local winner was Lize Bailey, who teaches first grade at Rock Springs in Sullivan County Schools. Bailey has been teaching for seven years.

The other local winner was Marsha Buck, who teaches eighth-grade science at Robinson in Kingsport City Schools. Buck has been teaching for 19 years.

"Ms. Buck is an exemplary educator and a model of leadership," Kingsport City Schools Superintendent Jeff Moorhouse said in a news release. "She has a long and successful history of guiding both students and her colleagues to excellence. I'm proud to see her receive this recognition and look forward to how the experience will further enhance her skills."

“The Tennessee Educator Fellowship convenes talented and driven educators who are relentless advocates for improving student achievement through student-focused policies and practices,” SCORE President and CEO David Mansouri said. “The fellows bring unique and diverse perspectives and experiences that are invaluable as they participate in local and state-level conversations about preparing all students for success in college, career and life.”

The Tennessee Educator Fellowship is a yearlong program that equips teachers, school counselors, interventionists and librarians to learn about education policy and advocate for their students and their profession. The educators chosen this year work in a variety of settings: traditional public schools, public magnet schools and public charter schools.

Since 2014, the fellowship has supported more than 180 educators to engage in critical discussions about education policy by speaking at public events, inviting policymakers into their classrooms, writing about their experiences in state and national publications, creating regional professional networks and serving on state-level policy committees.

This marks the sixth year of the Tennessee Educator Fellowship. The fellows chosen for the 2019-20 cohort have a combined teaching experience of 358 years and represent elementary, middle and high schools in 26 districts across East, Middle and West Tennessee. The members of this cohort teach English language arts; social studies; science, technology, engineering and math (STEM); construction trades; and special education in urban, suburban and rural schools. The cohort also includes educators who serve as school counselors, a librarian and an educator who teaches English language learners.

Throughout the upcoming year, the fellows will learn through in-person and online convenings and will serve as liaisons between their colleagues, their communities and policymakers as Tennessee continues the work of improving academic achievement for all students.

SCORE works with state, local and national partners to advance policies and practices for greater student success across Tennessee. It is an independent, nonprofit and nonpartisan advocacy and research institution, founded in 2009 by Sen. Bill Frist, former U.S. Senate majority leader. SCORE measures success by the academic growth and achievement of Tennessee’s students. Learn more at tnscore.org.